One thing this report makes me think about is how readily people (myself included) often interpret reports at face value and how that can lead to questionable conclusions and actions.

In other words, it is really difficult to not take at face value the news/prevailing sentiment/propaganda.

A version, perhaps, of Stop-Think-Observe-Plan-Proceed?

What reminded me of this lesson again?

Guardian UK article on Photoshopped OBL image: http://bit.ly/mC0WNO

Good topic, Frisket! Sensationalism aside, it raises a number of things to consider, not the least of which is how this is going to affect people's personal mindsets about preparedness.

I listened to a news report about it with interest tonight. The repoter was interviewing a bunch of people in NYC, and many are letting their guard down. They have already reverted back to their pre-911 mentalities and MOs.

9/11 got a lot of people to become more aware and prepare. I don't buy into living in fear, but all the reasons for putting that guard up are still valid, as they were before 9/11. Call it situational awareness, being prepared, common sense or whatever, it's still important and about way more than one guy, one group or one threat such as terrorism in general.

911 also made me aware that you can be minding your own business and suddenly find yourself in the middle of trouble !!! It is an important part of preparedness to know what is going on around you even if YOU were not part of it, or even if you were agisnt it. Take for example the position of war in Iraq and Afghanistan . Some Americans supported it and some thought otherwise. But being Americans, BOTH should be careful and not lower their guards because some violent fanatics will shoot first and think later. We, in the Middle East, also had to be careful too when we travel abroad, becuse others cannot tell which Middle Eastern guy is with or against OBL.

We saw the images of the dead OBL and heard about the photoshopping thing. It just makes us wonder about the whole story. And if you add throwing the body in the sea, it makes us wonder even more.

Yesterday, our capitals's newspaper (Riyadh) had this headline ( The World without Osama Bin Laden). I hope we are not too relieved yet and lower our guard too soon. I still believe he was no more than a symoblic figure and his sleeping cells don't need him for their criminal activities.

Prepping wise, it is always wise to assume the worst and be prepared for it.

UncleGoo , you remind us of OBG. Bless his soul

I am sure he is in a safer place.
At least he isn't worried about OBL and his clan

I think my feelings about this can be summed up with one word- concerned.

Great, we killed him. One less medium-large evil in the world. His machine is still out there and operating. And since we dumped his body in the ocean, Osama will be spotted about as often as Elvis. If only we'd bothered to bring out at least his head, at least then we'd have proof.

Chisel ... the story does appear to have some holes in it. However, I do think that President is telling the truth and that Bin Laden is dead. Let us hope that the authorities in Washington DC clarify a number of important questions, and show definite proof that the body belonged to Bin Laden. They have enough records and information that they should be able to do this. So let's see what happens this next week.

Pete #2

I don't think there is any point to lying about it. The down side to lying outweighs any benefit.

And no, they don't have any duty, or really have any up side, to offering proof. As an American citizen you can demand proof, free speech and an inalienable right to scream at the wind, but they have no obligation or reason to offer any. Those who are likely to buy the idea that they are telling the truth already have; those who are not, will not accept any proof offered.

Earlier generation understood this.

Credibility is about telling the truth simply and directly and moving on. It is not increased by providing details and providing proof to every point. Explaining yourself undermines credibility by implying your word isn't good enough. People really don't need, or even really want, to know what goes into making the sausages. The crowd 'just asking' are pretty much all about having their target jump through flaming hoops to demean them and as light entertainment.

It doesn't matter whether the authorities are lying about it or not, the weight of the lie or the truth is what matters. The main line news media has reported the narrative of the story and has accepted it unquestioningly. The majority of the readership and the viewer of the electronic media will accept it without question. The Aspartame helps with the memory hole effect and helps with the suggestibility.

As for the Elvis comparison, the Lee Harvey Oswald analogy would be a little more realistic, apparently when he was dug up he was missing his head. Identity and identity theft are the stock and trade of the terrorist and counter terrorist.

'Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.' O'Brien.

Take for example Mr Black, a previous deputy director of the NSA, who apparently attended the U.S. Army Language School Monterey, California (Russian language) in 1957, i.e. the same school that Lee Harvey Oswald attended around the same time before going on to work within the SAGE (Semi Autonomous Ground Environment). Its definitely a small world!!

Mr Black and Lee Harvey Oswald

As you can see its very easy to make up a ridiculous conspiracy theory, which is the stock in trade of the phys ops professional and the amateur. And yes there are phy ops pros and amateurs out there.

Of course with this story;

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-...es-Twitter.html

it really goes to show that some folks just aren't paying attention, which makes both the professional and amateur phy ops personnel despair. What I really want to know is why the He Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon had a PhD in Psychology on rolling credits of the cartoon.

Wow ... you read a whole lot into a very simple situation. Does your head hurt keeping all those contradictory story lines straight?

So you capture the mastermind of evil itself, and you don't interrogate him? Also, every single detail of the original story has now changed, no firefieght, only 1 guy with a weapon in a guest house, no wife sheilding, no weapon, etc. etc. If they were watching this operation live as reported, why would they give such a conflicting report? Are they intentionally trying to encourage conspiracy theories?? Geez. Just say what happened already.